Last mission to repair the Hubble telescopeHubble space telescope discoveries have enriched our understanding of the cosmos. In this special report, you will see facts about the Hubble space telescope, discoveries it has made and what the last mission's goals are.

For their own goodFifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.

Digest

Around Pinellas

The Palm Harbor Community Activity Center is looking for vendors to participate in its senior health fair on Oct. 4. Call 727 771-6000 or visit www.phrec.org for information.

PALM HARBOR

Artists work sought for annual festival

Artist applications for the 33rd Annual Fine Arts, Crafts and Music Festival are available through the Greater Palm Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce, 1151 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor. Deadline for applications for the juried show is Sept. 11. Call (727) 784-4287 or visit www.palmharborcc.org/newsevents/decartfest.asp.

COUNTYWIDE

Free equipment for folks with hearing loss

Florida residents with hearing loss can receive amplified telephones and specialized equipment for no cost at the Deaf and Hearing Connection for Tampa Bay.

Free hearing screenings, other assisting equipment and low cost hearing aids are also available at locations across Pinellas County.

Call (727) 399-9983 or visit www.ftri.org for locations and information.

COUNTYWIDE

PSTA collecting items to send to the troops

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is collecting items from bay area residents to send to service members stationed overseas.

The agency's goal is to fill several buses with items for men and women in the military and deliver them to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, where base personnel will send them to the troops.

Donations may be dropped off during business hours on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends at the Park Street customer service center, Park Street and Garden Avenue in Clearwater.

To learn more, visit www.PSTA.net.

COUNTYWIDE

Guardians ad litem needed for kids

More than 1, 000 children in Pinellas County need someone to be their voice in the courtroom, and the county's guardian ad litem program hopes that could be you.

Guardians receive ongoing assistance to help them make a positive difference in the lives of children. The average time needed is four to six hours a month. The next training to become certified as a guardian ad litem is scheduled to begin Sept. 4.

The Clearwater Downtown Partnership wants you to tell them. The partnership, which works with a number of local leaders and civic organizations to promote and market the downtown, is asking residents to fill out a short survey online indicating what retailers they'd like to see in downtown Clearwater.

The request comes as construction crews begin to wrap up work on the streetscape project on Cleveland Street. The next step will be filling the empty storefronts with new businesses.

To take the survey, go to www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=vQ7NK_2fyn82JYk6y_2fXUicUw_3d_3d.

COUNTYWIDE

Low cat adoption fee at shelter this month

Find a furry feline friend for a reduced adoption fee of $20 through this month at Pinellas County Animal Services, 12450 Ulmerton Road, Largo.

Kittens of every stripe are pouncing on each other as they wait for homes. They are already vaccinated, spayed and neutered. Call (727) 582-2600.

Many more mature cats are available there, too, and at such other shelters as the SPCA of Tampa Bay, 9099 130th Ave N, Largo, (727) 586-3591, and the Humane Society of Pinellas, 3040 State Road 590, Clearwater, (727) 797-7722. Also, the Humane Society is seeking donations of plastic cat carriers.

COUNTYWIDE

Join the team to fill backpacks for kids

The Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin is teaming up with Clothes To Kids to provide backpacks filled with school supplies and a week's supply of school clothes to 100 low-income Pinellas County schoolchildren.

The Junior League says donations of $15 will help a child begin the school year with confidence as he or she enters the classroom.

Checks can be made out to the Junior League and mailed to Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin, 1265 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin, FL 34698, Attn: Community Outreach-Back To School Fair.

Founded in 2002, Clothes To Kids, 1059 N Hercules Ave., provides free new and quality used clothing to low-income children in Pinellas County. Call 441-5050 or visit www.clothestokids.org.

PALM HARBOR

Club seeks help for Taste of Palm Harbor

The GFWC Palm Harbor Junior Women's Club is looking for restaurants, artisans and crafters to participate in its 11th annual Taste of Palm Harbor.

Proceeds from the October event benefit the club's grants and scholarship program.

Exercise your legs with walking and your mouth with laughter with the Walking Club at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hale Activity Center, 330 Douglas Ave. The group meets Tuesdays and Thursdays to walk the Pinellas Trail. Call (727) 298-3299.

COUNTYWIDE

Arbor Day group offers pocket guide to trees

Can you spot the difference between a poplar and pine? What Tree is That?, a 72-page pocket guide to distinguishing trees is available from the National Arbor Day Foundation. For a copy send you name, address and $3 for each book to 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, Neb., 68410 or online at www.arborday.org

COUNTYWIDE

Group petitioning Congress to help pets

Defend Our Pets is seeking pet owners to sign a petition that will be presented to Congress before the summer session is over in hopes of passing a bill to protect pets through tougher laws and regulations concerning the quality of pet food sold in the United States. For information, visit www.defendourpets.org or e-mail attorney Jay Edelson at jay@blimlaw.com.

CLEARWATER

Variety of summer exhibits at library

The library is for more than books. The Clearwater Main Library, 100 N Osceola Ave., has a variety of exhibits on display through the summer:

-Read stories of local foster children aged 8 to 16 and see professional portraits that feature faces, voices and stories at the Progress Energy Heart Gallery. The exhibit runs through Aug. 10.

-Self-portraits drawn by Clearwater young people are in the About Face exhibit until Aug. 28.

-Collectables and unique beads by Maryann Larson are in the Awesome Bead Hats exhibit until Aug. 28.

CLEARWATER - Before silverfish overrun your old paperback collection, why not donate it? The Friends of the Library Book & Gift Store in Clearwater's Main Library is seeking donations of paperback books in good condition for resale in the store.

Bring your donations to the Main Library or call Judy Bazata at 461-6272 if pickup is needed.

Proceeds from the Friends of the Clearwater Library bookstores are used to enhance the Clearwater Public Library system.

The store also needs volunteers to work certain days and hours. A short training session is required. The Friends Book & Gift Store is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Work hours are variable, generally two hours a week. To volunteer call Rosalie Murray at 531-0667.

PINELLAS PARK

They've got stories waiting to be shared

The Tampa Bay Storytellers Guild Story Swap meets the fourth Sunday of every month (except November and December) to share stories.

The public is invited to attend and share their stories.

Each program has a theme.

The programs are at 3 p.m., the fourth Sunday of each month, at Pinellas Park Station, 5851 Park Blvd.

The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association has applications available for more than $5,000 in high school and college scholarships awarded by AHEPA's Pinellas Chapter No. 356 and the Daughters of Penelope, Pelias Chapter No. 186.

Applicants must be 2007 high school graduates or current college students. Applicants do not have to be of Greek descent, but they must be a family member of a current member of the Order of AHEPA or the Daughters of Penelope. Call chairman John Tsagaris at (727) 791-1040 for an application or visit www.ahepad2.org or www.ahepa.org.

COUNTYWIDE

Bothered by litter? Call this number

Keep Pinellas Beautiful has a new 24-hour litter reporting hotline residents can use to report litter problems: (727) 210-4663.

The litter hotline is designed for large-scale litter problems or those that pose a public safety hazard, such as cases where items could create traffic problems. Examples include:

- Road or environmental hazards.

- Illegal dumping.

- Areas with major litter problems, such as storm drains with shopping carts or bulky items in them, or places like businesses with widespread litter problems.

The hotline is not for reporting code enforcement problems such as overgrown lawns or minor instances of littering.

Action to remove the trash/litter is taken by Keep Pinellas Beautiful Staff or coordination with the appropriate city or county department.

Callers will need to provide a street address or intersection, description of the litter problem and a contact phone number. Keep Pinellas Beautiful will coordinate with the appropriate city or county departments to address litter reports.

For more information, call (727) 210-4663 during regular business hours or visit the Web site at www.keep pinellasbeautiful.org.

COUNTYWIDE

Small business program upgraded

Pinellas County has revised and renamed what used to be known as the Small Business Assistance Program.

Under its new name, the Small Business Enterprise Program allows qualified vendors to bid for county purchases from $2,000 to $10,000.

The program is designed to benefit all small businesses principally located in Pinellas County, regardless of the gender or race of their owners, with sales and staffing below established limits. Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees and annual gross revenue of less than $2-million are eligible.

To learn more, call 464-3148 or e-mail businesshelp@pced.org An online application is available at www.pinellascounty.org/ purchase/sbap1.htm.